Searching
by coldfusion9797
Summary: Companion piece to Unsettling. It's the same story retold from Jeremy's POV. Make sure you read Unsettling first.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This is a companion piece to Unsettling. It's the same story retold from Jeremy's POV. I wrote this so I could get an idea of the angle Jeremy was coming from to help with writing the sequel. It's been fun and I thought you guys might enjoy it too so I decided to post it. I probably won't update this regularly because the sequel is what I'm mainly working on. Thanks for reading. **

Something's missing. Something fulfilling. There's a gaping hole in Jeremy's life and he has no idea how to fill it. Jeremy hasn't felt content since Damon and Elena showed up in Denver and dragged him back here to Mystic Falls. And for what? So he could sit here alone in this big house and talk to ghosts? Because that's what he does. He listens to Ric rave on about the evil of vampires and how they need to be killed. But Elena's a vampire now and she's not evil, just selfish. Jeremy loves her, she's his sister, but since she was turned he's barely seen her. Klaus is dead, so Jeremy's safe for the moment. But now that he doesn't need protection or isn't part of anyone's plot, he's not important. That's it, that's the answer he's searching for. Jeremy wants to be important to someone. Is it too much to ask? To be wanted and loved. But he's not really important to anyone. He's just Elena's kid brother, kept safe for that reason, not because anyone actually cares about him. God, this is depressing. Jeremy turns his attention to Ric and his plans, needing a distraction.

"Think about it Jeremy," Ric says, "all the terrible things that have happened are because of them. Jenna's gone, and look what they did to me. And what about Elena? You never see her because she'd rather be with them. The world would be a better place without them. You can do this Jeremy." Ric's right. When the Salvatore's showed up things started to turn to shit. Vicki's dead because of them. And then Katherine showed up, followed by the Originals and every time a new vampire hits town things get worse. Maybe it is time Jeremy takes matters into his own hands. It'd make Ric happy and he'd be doing some good. It's a big job though, Mystic Falls is crawling with vampires. But maybe following this path is what Jeremy needs to do to feel some fulfilment, to be important. It's worth a try because when life sucks this much the only way to go is up.

**AN: I posted this today because I wanted to say MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all and the next chapter of Anything For You isn't really appropriate reading material for the day before Christmas. So I hope everyone has a great day tomorrow, that Santa finds you and make sure you eat ridiculous amounts of Christmas food :) **


	2. Chapter 2

Jeremy's finished his shift but he's a little reluctant to head home. It's comforting to be around people at work because he knows when he gets home there'll be no one there, well no one except Ric. Ric follows him everywhere, always talking about how much he hates vampires and how Jeremy needs to kill them all. Jeremy hasn't got a clue how to go about it. A couple of days ago it seemed like a great idea, but how can he be expected to do what Ric's asked when really he's just a kid?

The path Jeremy takes home leads him through the cemetery. He never intends to but he always seems to end up here. That's not a bad thing, it's nice to be near his parents. Not a day goes by when Jeremy doesn't think of them and wish they were still here. Life was good before the accident. Now it's nothing but pain and fear and loneliness. Only once since they've been gone has Jeremy felt anything close to happiness and that was in Denver. But it had all been a lie. Jeremy should've known it was too good to be true.

Suddenly someone's next to Jeremy, and he'd been sure he was alone. Unbelievably it's Kol, Jeremy thought he'd never see him again. Hoped he'd never see him again. Kol smiles at him and Jeremy tells himself Kol's just another vampire, otherwise this will hurt too much. Ric's here, telling Jeremy he needs to add Kol to the list of trash to be taken out. This town is already overrun with vampires, how's Jeremy supposed to deal with them all?

"What the hell are you doing here?" Some emotion crosses Kol's face but he covers it quickly.

"That's no way to greet an old friend," Kol says. Is he making fun of Jeremy? Because Jeremy was stupid enough to believe that they actually were friends?

"Friend? Yeah right," Jeremy says because the betrayal still hurts. Kol ruined everything. Friends don't lie the way Kol did. How many times has Jeremy wished that their friendship had been real? He wants to hate Kol but there's something about the look on Kol's face... No, he won't be tricked again. Jeremy quickens his pace to get away from Kol, but Kol won't be deterred.

"What's wrong?" Kol asks and he sounds sincere but Jeremy won't be sucked in by Kol's fake concern. Kol obviously doesn't give a fuck about Jeremy so there must be something in this for him. What could it be?

"Nothing apart from the fact that I fucking hate vampires." There, that should get the message across, Jeremy wants nothing to do with Kol. Shit, couldn't Kol have just stayed away? Jeremy stops and glares at Kol, hoping the anger he feels over Kol's betrayal is there for Kol to see. But Jeremy's heart isn't entirely in it because above all else it still hurts. For the first time since his parents died he thought someone actually gave a shit about him. Kol reaches out toward Jeremy and a tiny piece of hope flares up inside him. But just as quickly Kol turns and runs. That'd be right. Jeremy's angry at himself for being so stupid. How many times does he have to be hurt by them before he'll get it through his head that vampires are nothing but bad news?


	3. Chapter 3

"How many does that make now? They're like a plague. So there's the three Originals, two Salvatore's, Tyler, Caroline, Elena-" Ric lists off.

"Hey," Jeremy cuts in, "I agreed to help with the vampire problem but that doesn't include Elena, she's my sister not a name to cross off a list."

"Fine," Ric huffs, "let's start with the Originals. Killing them kills their whole bloodline so that'll take out heaps of vamps at once."

"But first we've got to figure out whose blood it was that turned Elena. I won't hurt her."

"Meredith was getting blood off some vampire in town but she never told me who. I know it's not Damon or Stefan, Damon would've told me." Ric ponders for a moment before continuing. "It wouldn't have been Kol, he wasn't in town very long and I don't think he's really the blood donating type. You should start with him."

"But what if he's the head of Damon's bloodline?" Jeremy asks. Ric and Damon were besties after all.

"It's a risk I'm willing to take," Ric says. Fuck, he must really hate vampires. "Kol's very unpredictable Jeremy, you'll be doing the town a favour by killing him. Remember what he did to Matt, not to mention what he would've done to you if Damon and Elena hadn't showed up in Denver when they did." Ric's got a point, a few actually, so Jeremy agrees with Ric for now. But Jeremy's not entirely convinced. Kol might be a lying jerk but he did say they were friends the other night and Kol has never actually done anything to hurt Jeremy. Except lie, a voice in his head whispers. Well except that, but it's just so hard to associate the friend he made in Denver with being a lying scumbag. It never felt fake when they were together or maybe Jeremy is just that stupid. Yep, Jeremy must be that stupid because he can feel himself falling into the habit of wanting to trust Kol again. And Kol can't be trusted, he reminds himself. Shit, Jeremy's going to do his head in over this.


	4. Chapter 4

Why did Kol have to show up here? All he's done is remind Jeremy of how good things can be and how it can all be ripped from you in a heartbeat. Remind him of how stupid he was to believe their friendship had been real and of the pain of betrayal. And now Ric's set on this idea of killing Kol. Why does life have to be this difficult? Avoidance seems like a good idea. Maybe hecan just avoid Kol and he won't have to think about any of this. If Ric leaves him alone that is.

xxx

Jeremy looks up to see Kol walk in. Seriously, who did he piss off enough to be forced to suffer like this? Does God hate him or something? Hopefully Kol won't notice him, but no that'd be too much to ask for because Kol's heading straight for him. Didn't he get the message that Jeremy wants nothing to do with him?

"Hi Jeremy," Kol says with a smile. What's he playing at? Why the hell does Kol feel the need to be nice to him?

"You again?" Jeremy says, hoping Kol will just leave him alone. The look on Kol's face says he's not going to so Jeremy just carries on with his work. Like his mother used to say, just ignore them and they'll go away. Or maybe not. Kol follows him but Jeremy just goes on with his work. It's busy tonight and Jeremy is focused on taking orders and clearing tables, there's a lot to do. He gathers a stack of plates and when he turns to take them to the kitchen there's Kol.

"Fancy a game of ball tomorrow?" What? Why Kol would ask such a thing? Has Kol forgotten he doesn't have to pretend to be Jeremy's friend anymore? It's possible; he always was a little unstable. Or maybe it's a trap... Whatever the reason, Jeremy doesn't really have time for this right now.

"You wanna move out of the way? I'm working."

"Not until you answer my question," Kol says with determination. Jeremy really doesn't want to deal with this at the moment. Maybe if he just walks off Kol will go away. But it's not that easy, suddenly Ric is here too.

"Say yes Jeremy, here's your chance to stake him." Attempting to ignore them both, Jeremy tries to move past Kol but Kol won't let him. Fuck, one of the plates he's holding falls. Jeremy waits for the smash but luckily Kol catches it before it hits the ground. Well maybe Kol's not all bad.

"Hey! Jeremy! Focus. He's a bloodthirsty monster remember? Accept his invitation and walk away," Ric commands snapping Jeremy back to reality.

"So, I'll meet you at the park tomorrow after school?" Kol asks hopefully. Shit, Jeremy's never been great at multitasking and right now he's trying to hold two conversations and work, it's too much, he just wants both of them to shut up.

"Alright, fine. I'll meet you there tomorrow if you'll get out of my way now." There, that should satisfy them both enough so they'll back off and give Jeremy some room to think.

"Lovely," Kol says with a satisfied smile and finally he moves aside and lets Jeremy get on with his job. Crap. What did Jeremy just get himself into?

xxx

The peace doesn't last long, just the walk home. As soon as Jeremy steps inside Ric starts on him.  
"We need to make a plan for tomorrow."

"I'm tired," Jeremy tells Ric, "can't this wait until the morning?"

"No, it's important. We need to make sure this is sorted."

"Fine," Jeremy huffs.

God, it's never ending, all this shit that revolves around vampires. It's consuming Jeremy's life and the lives of everyone he cares about. But maybe if Jeremy just listens to Ric and does this one thing for him, Ric will back off for a while. And it would mean one less vampire to complicate Jeremy's life.


End file.
